Corflutes have become a familiar sight across Australia in the lead-up to the 2025 federal election, which concluded with a solid victory for the Labor party. Following the election, these plastic campaign signs will soon disappear from view, though their fate hinges upon the individual candidates who commissioned them.
The Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) does not prescribe the materials candidates may use for signage, nor their disposal methods post-election. As a result, candidates have several options for their corflutes: they can keep them for future campaigns, dispose of them in landfill, or explore recycling opportunities. Some creative avenues include repurposing corflutes for initiatives like treating wombat mange.
Typically made from polypropylene, a lightweight and water-resistant type of plastic, corflutes are often recyclable under specific conditions. It’s important to note that “Corflute” is originally a brand name, which has become synonymous with this type of signage and is used to describe various corfluted plastics.
While recycling sounds straightforward, corflute disposal isn’t simply a matter of tossing them into regular recycling bins. Genuine Corflute, free from contaminants like eyelets or ties, is recyclable at Corex, the manufacturer based in Victoria, which runs a closed-loop recycling facility. Reports indicate that many campaign managers are actively seeking to recycle corflutes post-election, similar to actions taken by Independent Member for Kooyong, Dr Monique Ryan, who managed to recycle around 2,000 kilograms of material after the previous election.
Sustainability is a key consideration for several candidates, including Ryan, who has emphasised measures to ensure proper recycling of materials used in campaigns. Similarly, Allegra Spender, Independent Member for Wentworth, has declared intentions to recycle her corflutes with Corex. Some local councils also promote recycling initiatives through dedicated waste streams, which candidates are encouraged to utilise.
Candidates who opt against recycling can choose to send their corflutes to landfill, repurpose them for future elections, or donate them for various creative uses. The ACT Labor party, for instance, contributes corflutes to schools and community organisations for arts and crafts, while others might find their way into the National Library of Australia or be repurposed practically in different projects.
In innovative uses, members of political parties have exemplified resourcefulness by donating used corflutes to glaziers as padding for glass panes or repurposing them as windscreen protectors and for animal enclosure flooring. Instances of their use as doormats highlight the diverse possibilities for these once-campaign signs.
In summary, the transition from campaign fixture to a repurposed resource illustrates an evolving approach to election signage, blending sustainability with creativity in their continued life beyond the political sphere.